Reading List

Here's a list of recent reading in no real order (vaguely chronological, most recent first).

• Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (Tor Books, 1977).  Ender is taken from his family as a young boy and begins training to save the world.  This classic science-fiction novel anticipates a number of developments that we now take for granted.   A good story that Card has now followed up by retelling it from a different viewpoint (Ender's Shadow).
• The Crusades: The World's Debate by Hilaire Belloc (TAN books -- original copyright 1937).  This is a dated book that now seems horribly un-PoliticallyCorrect, but I enjoyed it anyway.  Belloc tells the story of the First and Second Crusades, the only ones that met with any success.  Belloc unapologetically discusses the effort of the Christian world to throw the Muslims out of the Holy Land and how in the end they were unable to hold what they had taken.
• Worldly Goods: The walth and power of the American Catholic Church, the Vatican and the men who control the money by James Gollin (Random House, 1971).  I read this book as preparation for giving a talk about stewardship.  While it's a bit dated (things have changed a lot since 1971!) it's a pretty neat look at how the Church functions economically and financially.  While little was new to me in this book, there may be a lot here for others that's new.  Gollin dispels the myth of the 'wealthy Church' and examines the effect of the Catholic school system on the Church.   He also shows how money moves around in the Church and how a disorganized, decentralized organization nevertheless manages to keep going from decade to decade.   I found it a very interesting read!
• Why Catholics Don't Give ... and What Can Be Done About It by Chales E. Zech (Our Sunday Visitor, 2000).  This book confirms what many already know: Catholics give less per capita than any other religion in America.  The book has a lot of good statistical analysis of how parish giving varies depending on a number of factors.   In the end, the author suggests a number of different remedies, primarily development of stewardship as a component of Catholic life and preaching, and increased involvement by parishioners in parish decisionmaking.
• Water: a Natural History by Alice Outwater (yes, that's really her name) (Basic Books, 1996).  I read this book as a followup to Cadillac Desert.  It is a pretty interesting (to me, anyway) story of such mundane things as water treatment plants.  The author shows how natural mechanisms that cleaned water have been altered and obliterated by man.  There's a lot of interesting detail in this book -- you'll never feel the same about flushing your toilet again!
• A Refutation of Moral Relativism: Interviews With an Absolutist by Peter Kreeft (Ignatius, 1999).  Peter Kreeft is one of my favorite authors.  This book is in the form of a dialogue between an absolutist and a relativist.  While the writing is sharp as ever, I didn't come away (as I had hoped to) feeling that I could effectively reason with and refute the moral relativists that surround me in society.  Perhaps I need to reread the book (perhaps more than once!).
• Wisdom Distilled From the Daily: Living the Rule of St. Benedict Today by Sr. Joan Chittister, OSB (Harper Collins, 1990).  This book was used in a small group study I participated in the first half of 2000.  I found it an interesting introduction to Benedictine spirituality.  While there was much good food for thought, the author's strident feminism leaks through often enough to be distracting and annoying.  Still, a good and worthwhile read if you would like to examine one way to follow Christ and grow in your relationship with God.
• Fallout: An American Nuclear Tragedy by Philip L. Fradkin (University of Arizona Press, 1989).  For some reason I recently got interested in nuclear weapons testing.  This book concentrates on atomic testing at the Nevada Test Site in the 50s and 60s and its effects on local residents ("downwinders").  The book is centered around a civil suit brought by some of the downwinders in an attempt to be compensated for their sufferings as a result of radiation exposure (cancers, etc.).   I found it an interesting read, especially the description of the pitiful management of the tests -- AEC was totally unprepared for what they were involved in and displayed a massive, frightening, contemptible disregard for the safety of US citizens.
• Mass Confusion: The Do's and Don'ts of Catholic Worship by James Akin (Catholic Answers, 1999).  Disclaimer:  James Akin is an acquaintance of mine.  I really enjoyed this book, but it's probably best for liturgy geeks and other interested types.  It's a guide to the Mass with emphasis on commonly encountered liturgical abuses, as well as legitimate variations that are sometimes mistakenly thought to be abuses.  This is a great book if you aren't sure what your priest is doing is licit or valid; however I wouldn't expect it would be much help in correcting abuses (not because it's poorly written but because I suspect most priests who do these things are not going to accept its documentation).
• The Usual Suspects: Answering Anti-Catholic Fundamentalists by Karl Keating (Ignatius, 2000).  Keating describes this a supplement to his earlier book Catholicism and Fundamentalism.  That's an accurate assessment.  The book doesn't work well on its own, it is really a series of topics instead of a whole.  Still, I always enjoy Keating's writing and this is no exception.  He examines some of the various anti-Catholic groups and movements in the US today and what their motivations and weaknesses are.
• Database Nation: The Death of Privacy in the 21st Century by Simson Garfinkel (O'Reilly, 2000).  This book makes an argument that with the increasing centralization of data about each of us and a number of pervasive surveillance techniques, we are all losing our privacy, partly to the government but mostly to corporations.   Unfortunately I didn't find much really new in the book (perhaps those who haven't read much of the ongoing online discussion on the subject would find it more original).   The book lacks cohesion and seems overly whiny.
• Neuromancer by William Gibson (Ace Books, 1984).  It took me a while to get around to reading this, arguably the first of the 'cyberpunk' genre.  I enjoyed it a lot although compared to the later cyberpunk I'd read it seemed a little ... primitive.  Still, a great book.
• Eclipse of the Sun by Michael D. O'Brien (Ignatius, 1998).  This book is part of a trilogy but it stands well on its own.  Set in contemporary British Columbia, it's part of what I'd call Catholic apocalpytic fiction.  O'Brien weaves a complex tale with a number of characters and storylines interwoven and crossing each other at various points.  As the end of the millenium nears, the characters of the book find themselves trapped in the nets of a growing police state.  We follow the central character, a young boy named Arrow Delaney, as he seeks to escape the clutches of the Bad Guys and find his great-grandfather and siblings, who are hiding in the mountains following the death of Arrow's father and mother at the hands of the same Bad Guys.   Through the tale flow a variety of people who help Arrow at various times, even sacrificing their lives to help him to safety.  It's a long book (over 800 pages) but I found it quite gripping and read it in just a few days.
• The Genesee Diary: Report from a Trappist Monastery by Henri J.M. Nouwen (Doubleday, 1976).  This book was a gift from a friend and I read it while on retreat.  It details the author's 7-month stay as a 'temporary monk' at a Trappist monastery in upstate New York.  I found it a very personal and revealing account of Fr. Nouwen's time at the Genesee monastery.  For those who have little or no experience or exposure to the monastic life this book will be a real eye-opener; for myself the interest was to see one man's spiritual journey.  Fr. Nouwen's honesty as he battles his own personal demons (pride, mostly) helped me to see the depth of my own pride and gave me some ideas how I might be healed of some of it. 
• How We Die: Reflections on Life's Final Chapter, by Sherwin B. Nuland (Alfred A. Knopf, 1993).  This book was originally lent me by a friend and I enjoyed it so much I had to go out and buy my own copy.  It's an interesting (some, undoubtedly, would say morbid) look at death and, well, how we die.  I suspect whether you enjoy this book or not depends in large part on how scared you are of death.  In my case I really enjoyed the book.  It examines the causes of death and what most people actually die of (not surprisingly, the biggies are heart disease and cancer).  I think a book like this can do a lot to de-mystify death and especially the 'dying process'.
• The Tommyknockers by Stephen King (Signet, 1987).  I've read a fair amount of Stephen King and I've enjoyed most of what I've read.  This book was no exception.   I wouldn't say that I found it scary (unlike, say, It, which remains one of the scariest books I've ever read) but I did find it the kind of book (like most of King's opus) that you just can't put down.  It's the story of a small Maine town (of course) where strange things start happening after a large metal object is found in the woods outside town....
• Into the Storm: A Study in Command by Tom Clancy, with General Fred Franks, Jr. (Ret.) (Berkeley Books, 1997).  This book tells the story of the US Army VII Corps in the Persian Gulf war; in large part it's also a biography of Gen. Franks.  The story is told mostly through the eyes of Gen. Franks so the information given is first-hand.   I found this book to be an interesting look at how a large military organization operates and makes decisions.  While the book might be a bit too 'techie' for some I found it insightful.
• Idoru, by William Gibson (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1996).  How rare, a work of fiction in my reading list!  This science fiction novel is set in the 21st century and tells a rather complex story of a rock star who falls in love with a holograph, and the people who try to save him or stop him.  As with much of Gibson's work there's a lot of thought-provoking substance behind the story..... what is real and what is not?   In cyberspace it's sometimes a bit difficult to tell.
• Denial of the Soul: Spiritual and Medical Perspectives on Euthanasia and Mortality by M. Scott Peck (Harmony Books, 1997).  This was an interesting and informative book on the debate over euthanasia and assisted suicide.  The author examines the reasons that people seek euthanasia, and what the problem of assisted suicide says about our country as a whole.  He seems to conclude that we should not legalize euthanasia, but instead address the problems that drive people to seek it -- fears of loneliness, loss of control, financial burdens -- and seek to build a society where people are valued for themselves and not for their utility.  I don't agree with everything in this book but I think it's well worth reading.
• Crossing the Threshold of Hope, by His Holiness John Paul II (Alfred A. Knopf, 1994).  This is a truly amazing book!  It's also a lot more accessible than most of the writings of our beloved pontiff.  The book came out of a series of interview questions submitted by an Italian journalist that the Pope answered at length.  He tackles a number of difficult questions head on in that assured, calm, confident manner that he approaches everything.  The back of the dust cover says "Be Not Afraid!", words spoken by the Pope immediately after his election and which summarize well his papacy.
• Why I Am Still A Catholic, edited by Kevin and Marilyn Ryan (Riverhead Books, 1998).  The editors express a desire to tell the stories of some famous and near-famous Americans as examples of people living as faithful Catholics while being successful in their chosen professions.  The stories included run the gamut from Fr. Andrew Greeley to Bowie Kuhn, Maria Shriver, Walker Percy and Michael Novak.  I found this book an interesting and informative read.  The common threads seem to be the faith tradition passed on in the family, and a deep love of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist.
• Executive Orders by Tom Clancy. The Capitol is hit by a plane during a joint session of Congress, killing most of the government and leaving newly-sworn Vice President Jack Ryan as the new President. If you ever found yourself saying 'if I were President, I'd....' then you should read Clancy's view. Very entertaining, a real page-turner (I read it in about 5 days and it's 850 pages long). Of course, being a Clancy novel there is intrigue and adventure and spy-stuff galore.
• Essays of a Catholic by Hilaire Belloc (TAN Books). A number of good essays on Catholic topics. Especially noteworthy is Belloc's explanation of the Church's teaching on usury.
• Back to Virtue by Thomas Kreeft (Ignatius Press, 1992). Kreeft argues that modern society has reduced all virtues to 'being nice'. Kreeft shows the shallowness of 'values clarification' and shows that the fault is STILL not in our stars, but ourselves. Well written and very thought-provoking.
• Pierced By a Sword by Bud Macfarlane Jr. (Saint Jude Media, 1995). This is an apocalyptic page-turner about the end of the world, the coming tribulations, and Marian apparitions. It's fiction but there's a fair amount of truth mixed in. A fun read.
• The Physics of Star Trek, by Lawrence M. Krauss (HarperPerennial, 1995). This is a book that examines the physics underlying the technology of the Star Trek series. Why transporters are impractical, what antimatter is, wormholes, black holes, and so on. Pretty interesting stuff!
• The Oath, by Frank Peretti (Word, 1995). Another fiction book from Peretti, who's been called the Stephen King of Christian fiction. In this one, a mining town makes a pact with the Devil and there's Hell to pay!
• Silicon Snake Oil, by Clifford Stoll (Doubleday, 1995). Cliff Stoll analyzes what's wrong with the Information Highway and why it's not as wonderful as everyone thought it would be. Real insight from an Internet insider who just happens to have done graduate work at our own beloved UA.
• The Dilbert Principle, by Scott Adams (HarperBusiness, 1996). Doesn't everyone like Dilbert? Some days I swear that Adams is writing about my company and my job. The essence of humor is to point out the incongruities and ironies in everyday life and things and Adams does it to perfection.
• Showstopper! by G. Pascal Zachary (Free Press, 1994). Zachary writes about the race to develop Windows NT. Zachary is a Tracy Kidder wannabe, but Soul Of A New Machine was a much better book. Nevertheless, this was an interesting story of the software business and Microsoft.
• The Faith Applied by Jean Daujat (Scepter Press, 1963). This is a book on how to live the Christian life. The author says "The moulding of Christians who live Christianity is the urgent business of today." If that was the case in 1963, just imagine what it's like now!
• Surprised By Truth edited by Patrick Madrid (Ignatius Press, 1994). This is a book of essays by 11 converts to Catholicism. They explain the biblical, historical, and theological proofs that led them to become Catholic. It's an interesting book and very encouraging to see the myriad ways that God touches people's lives.
• The Catholic Classics by Dinesh D'Souza (Our Sunday Visitor, 1986). D'Souza gives an overview of the best Catholic writers from St. Augustine to Thomas Merton. It's fascinating to see how such diverse minds, from backgrounds worlds and millenia apart, could hold fast to the same Faith. This book serves to whet one's appetite to read the full works that it discusses.
• The Keys of This Blood by Malachi Martin. This is an interesting book that details the interaction between Mikhail Gorbachev and Pope John Paul II in the development of new geopolitical structures (the 'New World Order'). It was written in 1990; it would be interesting to see what the author would say if he were writing it now.

Updated August 22, 2002.

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